


Someone Else's Nightmares

by icandrawamoth



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, Drift Side Effects, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Memories, Nightmares, badthingshappenbingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-26
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-05-28 17:02:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15053804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/pseuds/icandrawamoth
Summary: Wedge runs, but the streets of full of panic, people and cars everywhere, running, shouting, honking, desperate for their lives. The ground shakes as the kaiju draws closer. He thinks he sees the flash of a huge, dark head above a row of buildings.





	Someone Else's Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> For badthingshappenbingo square "animal attack."

Wedge is out when the attack happens. His mother has sent him to get a gallon of milk for the recipe she's making for dinner, and he's just left the checkout line when he hears the commotion – screams and unearthly roars – from several streets over.

He knows what is is right away, certainty like a rock in his gut. They live on the cost. They couldn't afford to move. It was only a matter of time before one of the kaiju found them.

He runs, but the streets of full of panic, people and cars everywhere, running, shouting, honking, desperate for their lives. The ground shakes as the monster draws closer. Wedge thinks he sees the flash of a huge, dark head above a row of buildings.

Someone must see him and think him a helpless child, because they grab him and drag him toward a storefront already crowded with cowering people. Wedge protests – he has to get back to his family, he has to make sure they're okay, he has to – but his would-be savior doesn't listen.

The milk jug slips from his fingers and splits against the sidewalk, white liquid flowing down the street, adding to the mess and the chaos.

Wedge huddles there for what seems like hours, the stranger's hand clamped on his arm. From streets away – the direction of his apartment building, Wedge realizes sickeningly – come terrible sounds: deafening booms as the kaiju wreaks havoc, the thing's bellows echoing over and over between buildings, and finally, finally, the sound of heavy weapons and the roars redoubling. They've brought in a Jaeger, then. Wedge has always wanted to see one in person, but now that wish is the farthest thing from his mind.

It sounds like a war zone - and really, it is. The battle probably doesn't take as long as it feels like, but to Wedge, crouching there in the doorway, worrying about his family, the long minutes seem interminable.

At last, though, he hears the deafening crash that must be the defeated monster hitting the ground and closes his eyes for a moment in sudden relief. In sharing the emotion, his rescuer loosens their grip, and in a second Wedge is jerking away, tearing off down the street. If they call after him, he doesn't hear.

He's only a few blocks from home, and he runs like he never has before. Anxiety prickles all over his body, exploding to full-blown fear when he turns into his street and sees open sky where it's never been before.

The apartment building is gone. Completely flattened, no more than a massive pile of debris.

Wedge's first thought as suddenly-numb legs bring his closer to the destruction is that they could have escaped. They could have evacuated, they could be waiting for him somewhere–

But somehow he knows. He just knows. His family never left that building. They're still in there, what's left of them, and Wedge is never going to see his parents or his little sisters and brother alive ever again.

And then he's screaming, rage and grief and helplessness tearing out of him, scouring his throat raw and painful, but he can't stop–

–until suddenly there are arms around him, the destroyed street abruptly snapping off like an old TV screen, replaced by a darkened bedroom as his eyes snap open. Wedge's voice cuts to a disoriented whimper even as he's pulled upright in the bed, rough blanket scratching against his bare legs, grounding him as much as the hands on his arms.

"Wedge, love, you were having a nightmare," a voice says, soothing. "It's all right now, shh..."

Wedge drags in a breath, makes himself focus on his real surroundings. He's safe in his bed, deep in the Jaeger base, the man he loves, his partner in every way, close beside him. The memory wasn't real; it can't hurt him.

"Tycho." Wedge breathes his name in relief, lets himself slump forward to rest his head on his shoulder, hiding his face.

Tycho's hand comes up to cup the back of his neck, rubbing away the cold sweat that's gathered there. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Wedge sighs and moves a little closer, letting Tycho's warmth drive away the last vestiges of the dream. "It was the kaiju that killed your family," he admits softly.

Tycho pauses for a moment then goes back to stroking his neck. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." It's not like that trauma is Tycho's fault. And Wedge is far from the only Jaeger pilot to be having someone else's nightmares – not even the only one in this bed. He lost his own parents much the same way; it was practically the first thing the two of them learned about each other other than their names when they met years ago at that recruiting call. They saw flashes of those memories in each other the first time the Neural Handshake connected them and still do every time. It's part of who they are, what brought them together; it makes sense that their bond is so strong.

Tycho gently guides Wedge up to look at him, frames his face in his hands. "It's all right now," he says softly. "We're safe. We're together. That's all we need."

Wedge nods, soothed by the mantra they've spoken to each other so many times before. He leans in, and their lips meet, warm and comforting. Tycho's hands trail down his neck, skim his back, brief tingling touches, then rest at his waist, fingers just teasing the hem of his boxers.

Wedge smiles into the kiss, reaching down to help him take them off.

And that's when the base-wide klaxon sounds, calling the pilots to their Jaegers.

Tycho pulls away, and Wedge groans loudly. “Our turn to save the world,” Tycho says, grinning cheekily. “Guess you'll just have to settle for having me in your head instead.”

Wedge rolls his eyes. “This isn't finished.”

“Just delayed,” Tycho agrees, as if it's different from any other day. They almost always go to bed after a run, desperate to keep some semblance of the closeness of the Drift for as long as possible. He holds out a hand. “Come on, Red Rogue is waiting.”

Wedge lets out a much-put-upon sigh and lets himself be helped to his feet. This particular kaiju is going to get some extra killing if he has anything to say about it.


End file.
